Muzzle plug for guns



Jim 2l, g?. H, M- BRAUCHER 2,414,441

MUZZLE PLUG FOR GUNS Filed Jan.l l1, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gmc/wm Hamm/Elyy M Enraucher Jan. 2l, 1947. H M BRAUCHER 2,414,441

MUZZLE PLUG FOR GUNS Filed Jan. ll, 1945/ 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HvarvE /M E1ra1i lcher @WMM w MMM @www/s' Patented Jan. 21, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE V4 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in muzzle plugs for weapons.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of plug for closing and sealing the muzzle of a weapon having readily adjustable means for effecting the sealing.

Another object is to provide a plug having ad justable means associated therewith for engaging the bore of a weapon and retaining the plug in sealing position relative to the muzzle of the weapon.

A further object is the provision of a muzzle plug for weapons which is relatively light, sturdy, inexpensive and will resist rusting and warping.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent as the specification is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is an outer plan view of the plug in operative position in the muzzle of an artillery weapon;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 3; and

Figure 3 is an inner plan view of the plug.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein similar characters designate like parts throughout the several views, numeral I refers generally to a plug adaptable to be inserted within the muzzle 3 of a gun tube 2 for sealing the end 4 thereof. The plug comprises an annular metallic saucer-shaped plate 5 having a centrally located hollow integral hub 6. The plate 5 is formed with a relatively flat outwardly extending wall I terminating in a curved outer rim 8. A gasket 9 of rubber or other suitable material is seated within the curved rim 8 and engages with end 4 of the tube when the plug is clamped in position within the muzzle 3 in a manner hereinafter described so that the latter is sealed in an obvious manner.

Three equally spaced outwardly extending metallic toggle arms I0, pivotally connected by pins II to three pairs of spaced ears I2 integrally formed on the underside of plate 5 and hub B, are formed with gripping faces I3 on the outer ends thereof for engagement with the muzzle of the tube when the arms are actuated as presently described. Extending through the bore I4 of the hub `li is a shaft I5 which is threaded on its rearward end, as at I6. A hand wheel II is suitably secured to the outer end of the shaft I 5 and held amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) in position thereon by a stop nut or the like I8, and a thrust collar I9 is fixedly secured on the shaft by a pin 20 so as to engage with the rearward face of the hub 6 when the shaft is rotated. The inner end of the shaft is provided with a stop collar 2| secured thereto by a pin 22.

Mounted on the threaded portion I6 of the shaft I5 is an enlarged internally threaded nut 23 which is formed with three pairs of spaced ears 24. Pivotally connected to the ears by pins 26 are links 25 which are pivotally connected at their outer ends to corresponding rearwardly depending spaced ears 2'I on each of the toggle arms IIJ.

When it is desired to seal the muzzle of the tube from moisture and foreign materials, the entire plug assembly I is inserted within the muzzle until the rubber gasket 9 engages with the end 4 of the tube. The hand wheel I'I is then rotated in the appropriate direction whereby the threaded nut 23 is caused to travel outwardly on the shaft I5. This movement of the nut 23 applies pressure on the toggle arms I0 through the links 25 and thereby moves the arms and gripping faces I3 on the outer ends thereof from the dotted line position to the full line position of Figure 1 and into gripping engagement with the muzzle of the tube. Continued rotation of the hand whee1 I'I results in the toggle arms II'I drawing the plate -5 inwardly so that the rubber gasket 9 thereon is pressed tightly against the end 4 of the tube thereby effectively sealing the latter in an obvious manner. In other words, the plug assembly will be securely wedged within the tube.

As the plug assembly is positioned entirely within the muzzle of the tube and does not cover or overlap the end of the tube, it will be understood that the rim of the plate and the gasket thereof will not drag on the ground during towing of the piece, should the tube be in a depressed position. Thus, the plug assembly will not be subjected to wear and will assure of the bore being free from dirt and dust.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of my improved plug assembly, it is to be understood that various changes and improvements may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A muzzle plug for sealing a gun tube comprising a plate having a hollow hub thereon, a shaft extending through said hub, means on one end of said shaft for rotating the same, spaced toggle arms pivotally connected to said hub, a nut on said shaft, spaced links pivotally connected to said nut and said toggle arms whereby upon rotation of said shaft said toggle arms engage the gun tube and wedge the plate into sealing engagement with the tube.

2. A muzzle plug for sealing a gun tube comprising a plate having a hollow hub thereon, seal ing means carried by said plate, a shaft extending through said hub and having a threaded portion thereon, means on one end of said shaft for rotating same, spaced toggle arms pivotally connected to said hub, a threaded nut on the threaded portion of said shaft, spaced links pivotally connected to said nut and said toggle arms whereby upon rotation of said shaft said toggle arms engage the gun tube and Wedge the plate and sealing means into sealing engagement with the tube.

3. A muzzle plug for sealing a gun tube comprising a metallic plate having a hollow hub thereon, a curved rim on the periphery of said plate, sealing means in said rim, a shaft extending through said hub and having a threaded portion thereon, means on one end of said shaft for 4 rotating the same, spaced metallic toggle arms pivotally connected to said hub, a threaded nut on the threaded portion of said shaft, spaced metallic links pivotally connected to said nut and said toggle arms whereby upon rotation of said shaft said toggle arms engage the gun tube and wedge the plate and sealing means into sealing engagement with the tube.

4. A muzzle plug for sealing a gun tube com prising a metallic plate having a centrally located hollow hub thereon, a curved rim on the periphery of said plate, a sealing gasket in said rim, a shaft extending through said hub and having a threaded portion on one end thereof, means on the other end of said shaft for rotating the same,` spaced metallic toggle arms pivotally connected to said hub, -a threaded nut on the threaded portion of said shaft, spaced metallic links pivotally connected to said nut and to said toggle arms intermediate the ends thereof, whereby upon rotation of said shaft said toggle arms engage the gun tube and wedge the plate and sealing gasket into sealing engagement with the tube.

HARVEY M. BRAUCHER. 

